Combined driving and steering axle



G. A. McGlLL.

COMBINED DRIVING AND STEERING AXLE. V APPLICATION FILED JUNE I9, I916.RENEWED .IULY23,, I9I9.

1 ,334, l 58. Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

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G. A. McGlLL.

COMBINED DRIVING AND STEERING AXLE. 'APPLICATION FILED JU'NE I9, 1916.RENEWED JULY 23.19 9- 1,334,1 58. Patented Mar. 16,1920.

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Y Qxm attorney UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. MCGILL, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

COMBINED DRIVING AND STEERING AXLE.

Application filed To all whom it may concern Be it known that. I, GnononA. MoGrrLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in thecounty of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Combined Driving and Steering Axles, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a combined driving and steeringaxle, adapted for use upon automobiles or the like. I A

.The invention aims to provide a construction of the above mentionedcharacter, which is characterized by its extreme simplicity, cheapnessand durability.

An important object of the invention is to provide, in apparatus of theabove mentioned character, means to eife'ctually exclude dust from theuniversal joint, embodied therein.

A Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification andinwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and,

Fig. & is a transverse sectional view taken on line 47-4 of Fig. 3. p

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates astationary housing, which is suitably connected with,the frame-work of avehicle. This housing is provided at each end with vertically arrangedupstanding and depending knuckles 6, having their ends forked, forproviding openings 7. These forked knuckles receive knuckles 8, formedupon a tubular spindle 9. The knuckles 7 and 8 are apertured for thereception of pins or pivot elements 10, provided at their outer endswith enlarged heads, and held in place by means of cotter pins 11,extending through apertures in the knuckles 6 and the pivot elements, asmore ,clearly shown in Fig. 4. Washers 10' surround the bolts 10 and aredisposed outwardly of and adjacent the knuckles 8, as shown. From theforegodescription it is obvious that the tubular is provided with 29formed Specification of Letters Patent. Patented luar, 16, 1920.

June 19,1916, Serial No. 104,452. Renewed July 23, 1919. Serial No.312,831.

spindle 9 is adapted to swing in a horizontal plane with respect to thehousing 5.

' Rotatably mounted upon the tubular spindle 9 is a wheel, designated asa whole by the numeral 12. This wheel comprises an inner hub-member 13and outer hubmember 11, which are connected by bolts 14, and havetubular body portions 15 and 1.6, respectively. The tubular body portion15 telescopes the tubular body'portion 16 and'is provided with ashoulder 17, carrying spaced lugs 18, f tting in spaced recesses 19,formed upon the inner surface of the tubular body portion 16, as shown.The tubular body portion 15 hasa groove 15,

. receiving packing 16, also projecting into a groove 17', as shown.

The tubular body portion 15 is provided with an interior annular rib orflange 20, upon the opposite sides of which are arranged annular tracks21, engaging roller bearings 22, also engaging annular tracks 23,surrounding the tubular spindle 9, near the ends thereof. The innertrack 23 contacts with the shoulder 24 while the outer track contactswith a ring 25, having screw threaded engagement with the end of thespindle 9. It is thus apparent that the wheel is rotatably mounted uponthe tubular spindle and that roller bearings are inter- I posed betweenthese parts.

The tubular body portion .16 of the hub an interior tubular coupling 26,formed integral therewith, and provided with a groove or key-Way 27,receiving a key 28. This key projects into a. groove rod 30, which isprovided at its outer end with screw-threads for receiving a nut 31. Itis thus apparent that the coupling rod 30 is locked to the coupling tubefor rotation therewith. The inner end of the coupling rod 30 is,preferably square in cross-section or other than round, as shown at 32,and is adapted for insertion within a tubular driving shaft section 33having a correspondingly shaped opening. This driving shaft section isdriven by a coactingdriving shaft section 34, arranged in the housing 5and having a universal connection therewith, as shown at 35.

The hubtubular body portion 16 is provided with an exteriorlyscrew-threaded flange 36, having screw-threaded engagement with a cap37, serving to cover the end of the coupling rod as shown.

upon the periphery of a coupling Means are provided to exclude dust,dirt or the like, from the universal joint 35, comprising a sphericallycurved dust casingsection'38, preferably formed integral with thehousing 5 and the, knuckles 6, as shown. The outer end of this casing isopen, for -the passage and movement of the driving shaftsection 33', andthe casing-section 38 projects into a spherically curved dustcasingsection 39, preferably formed integral with the tubular spindle 9,and the knuckles 8, as shown.-

The numeral 40 designates a .grease cup, having a discharge tube 41,passing through openings in the body portions 15 and 16, and adapted todischarge the lubricant in proximity to the roller bearings It isobvious that other means may be employed to lubricate the rollerbearings. p I

Rigidly connected with the spherically curved casing-section 39 and thespindle 9 is a preferably curved knuckle 42, for connection with theusual steering mechanism, whereby the wheel may be steered.

In use, it is obvious that the rotation of the shaft 34 will betransmitted to'the shaft 33, and hence to the wheel 12, for propellingthe vehicle. The 'vehicle may be steered by swinging the steering arm 42in the desired direction, causing a corresponding swinging movement ofthe wheel. It is obvious'that my combined driving and steering axle maybe arranged at the fron hicle or both.

It is to be understood that.the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred exampleof the same, and thatvariouschanges in the shape,

t or rear of the vein the presence of two witnesses.

size and arrangement of parts may be re sorted to without departing fromthe spirit A of -the invention or the scope of the subthe curvatureof-the spherically curved dust cap "and having their inner edgesextending I contiguous with the dust cap throughout their entrrelengthand lntegral therewith, whereby said knuckles serve as reinforcingribs for the dust cap, said knuckles being c forked at their free ends;a co-acting spheri- 6 cally curved dust-casing having its wall formedbomparatively thick. in cross-section and receiving therein the outeropen side ofthe duel cap; apcrtured knuckles formed integral with thedust-casing and arranged within the forkedends ofthe first namedknuckles; a tubular spindle formed integral with the dust casing a wheelrotatable upon the tubular spindle; and means to rotate the wheel.

In testlmony whereof I affix my signature GEORGE A. MGGILL. Witnesses:Ji-xs sl-IEARON,

Gus Wasones

